Chef Chat

Suzanne Husseini captures flavors of the Middle East

Suzanne Husseini

Suzanne Husseini was born in Egypt to Palestinian parents who moved the family to Canada when she was a child. Far from her Middle Eastern roots, she adjusted to a world that included boots, mittens and a whole new culture.

But it was in her mother's kitchen where she learned the universal language of food. At age 7, she won over inquisitive friends by inviting them home for lunch, treating them to her mother's falafel, labneh (a soft yogurt cheese), hummus and za'atar (a spice mixture).

Sharing those childhood favorites and her own modern updates, the "Top Chef: Middle East" judge introduces Arabian flavors and spices to new audiences in her second cookbook, "Modern Flavors of Arabia: Recipes and Memories from My Middle Eastern Kitchen" ($27.95, Random House). Embracing Middle Eastern classics while refining recipes for modern kitchens, the cookbook includes her versions of kibbeh, falafel, shawarma, lemony lentil soup and easy homemade labneh.

Husseini, a married mother of three, splits her time between Dubai and Ottawa. We talked with her by phone from her home in Dubai.

Q. Where do you live these days?

A. I like to tell people I have a double life. A lot of my time is in Dubai. I have a home here, I work here, and I have a home in Canada. My husband is Lebanese and works in Dubai. We started our lives in Canada, where we had our children.

Q. How should people read this cookbook?

A. I want people to open up their hearts and their eyes in taking on a book like this as a wonderful cooking adventure. There are some cities where things might be a challenge, but I'm assuming that even Indian and Middle Eastern groceries are plentiful now and you can even find these supplies online.

I've also made the recipes as simple as could be. There's nothing scary about this cuisine or part of the world, nothing frightening or so mysterious you need to step back and not attempt it. I'm trying to bring it closer to you, build these little food bridges so people don't have that fear. People in this part of the world eat; they're hospitable. Arabic food and Arabic culture is so much about sharing food.

Q. Why cover various areas of the Arab world?

A. I grew up in a household in Canada where my mother would cook the most amazing food. It was called Arabic food. The language of food we spoke was Arabic. The music we listened to was Arabic. . . . If I define it that way for my friends, particularly my friends who are non-Arab, they understand it.

They get a lot of different mixed messages, my ex-pat friends. They'll say, "But I thought this was Lebanese food or Egyptian food?" They seem to think it is all different, that all these countries with different borders and regions have different food. Whatever you eat in Iraq, Jordan, Morocco, it's all the same food. There are 22 Arab countries; we share a food culture.

Q. What was the biggest adjustment when you moved to Canada?

A. We came in the snow. It wasn't as difficult for me as a child as it was for my mother. She had to adapt as an adult. She didn't know anyone. She had four children, didn't know the language, the weather. She wanted us to be connected to our heritage. Other than speaking to us in Arabic at home and exposing us to music, it was the food she did best with flair and love. She drew back on memories of her mother's home, her grandmother's home, and that's exactly what she made for us in Canada.

It was a challenge to get ingredients. Hummus wasn't a household word as it is now. Pita bread wasn't something you could find, so she'd make this from scratch. . . . Then she discovered the Italian markets. It was like discovering gold because we are people of Mediterranean descent. Through food, I think it helped us to remain connected to the heritage.

Q. Describe your approach to food.

A. I particularly adore Arabic cuisine because I think it is delicious and healthy.

Arabic cuisine goes back thousands of years. (Recipes are) traditional because they're good, but sometimes you need to tweak them a little. I take dishes that have only been done one way and I like to step out of the box.

I stay true to the integrity of the dish, I'm not fusing it with anything, but I choose to present it in a different way because I think it is prettier. I also might change the method, because I think the old method of boiling a chicken is flavorless. I'll braise or roast it to get the same results.

Q. You're noticing more chefs turning to Arabic ingredients?

A. There is a general awareness of ethnic ingredients from all over the world. You can see it on Food Network and Cooking Channel every day. There is an ingredient called harissa, a North African spice mix, used frequently now. Tahini, pomegranate molasses, even the addition of pine nuts, pistachio, rose water, couscous, freekeh, the cracked wheat, halloumi cheese - all these ingredients come from the Middle East.

Dried limes are a whole new treasure trove. It's pretty exciting. Sumac, it's tart, a little salty, fruity. People used to use it to replace lemons long ago; it also gives a little pink tinge to foods. You'll find it in a lot of Middle Eastern groceries.

Q. What are foods that you wish people would try?

A. I like to say between hummus and tabbouleh there are hundreds and hundreds of dishes to be discovered. We do a lot of beautiful stews. You'd be surprised at the things people stuff: carrots, turnips, beets. It's a technique that is unique to this part of the world.

Those dishes you'd never get served in an Arabic restaurant, and I don't understand why. We cook a lot of meats and dishes in yogurt. Yogurt is known in the west in one way: with fruit. Instead of a cream sauce, we cook with yogurt.

Q. How have you gathered your recipes?

A. My inspiration, particularly for this book, was really the recipes I grew up eating. . . . I start with a memory of a dish that makes me all warm and cozy inside.